Production of a twistless payout package with means for drawing out the inner end of the material

ABSTRACT

In winding a package of flexible material formed of a plurality of layers each composed of a number of figure-eight lights in which the crossovers progress around the package therein, in which a radial hole is provided opening into the central core space of the package through which the inner end of the material can be led out for twistless payout, an arrangement is provided for facilitating the withdrawal of the free inner end of the package through the opening after winding. This may be a means for holding a loop or elongated piece of the flexible material in a position where it can be easily fished out through the hole when the package is finished; or an arrangement for feeding a pin to which the inner end of the material is attached out through the hole as the package is wound; or to an arrangement for projecting a member out through the hole from the interior of the mandrel. When a pin is fed out through the hole as the package is wound, this pin may protrude beyond the periphery of the package far enough to aid in or to accomplish the formation of the radial hole without the need for speed variations between the spindle and the guide.

United States Patent [72] lnventors William F. Gordon Yonkers; James W.Newman, Scarsdale, N.Y. [21] Appl. No. 818,731 [22] Filed Apr. 23, 19 69[45] Patented May 4, 1971 [73] Assignee windings, Inc.

[541 PRODUCTION OF A TWISTLESS PAYOUT PACKAGE WITH MEANS FOR DRAWING OUTTHE INNER END OF THE MATERIAL 6 Claims, 11 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl 242/ 18, 242/35, 242/163, 242/125.1 [51] Int. Cl ..B65h54/02, B65h 49/26 [50] Field of Search 242/18, 35, 43,163,125,125.1

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,644,721 10/ 1927 Gordon242/ 125.1 2,025,890 12/ 1935 Payne 242/12S l 2,634,918 4/ 1953 Taylor,Jr. et al 242/43 2,634,923 4/1953 Taylor, Jr.

Primary Examiner-Stanley N. Gilreath Attorney-Jennings Bailey, Jr.

inner end of the material can be led out for twistless payout,

an arrangement is provided for facilitating the withdrawal of the freeinner end of the package through the opening after winding. This may bea means for holding a loop or elongated piece of the flexible materialin a position where it can be easily f hed out through the hole when thepackage is finished; or an arrangement for feeding a pin to which theinner end of the material is attached out through the hole as thepackage is wound; or to an arrangement for projecting a member outthrough the hole from the interior of the mandrel.

When a pin is fed out through the hole as the package is wound, this pinmay protrude beyond the periphery of the package far enough to aid in orto accomplish the formation of the radial hole without the need forspeed variations between the spindle and the guide.

Patehted May 11, 1911 1 3,578,255

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 BY ATTORNEY Patented M y 11, 1971 3,578,253-

NTOR5 WITI-I MEANS FOR DRAWING OUT THE INNER END OF THE MATERIALBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The inventionrelates to a method of facilitating the withdrawal of the inner end of awound body of flexible material of the universal type through a radialopening therein at the end of the winding of the package, as well astoequipment for this purpose and for aiding in hole formation.

2. The Prior Art Packages of the universal type having radial openingsinto the central core space through which 'the free end of the materialcan be withdrawn for twistless payout are known, for example, fromTaylor US. Pat. No. 2,634,922, and a machine for winding these packagesfrom Taylor et al., US. Pat. No.

However, with previous packages of the type shown, it has been necessaryafter the package is wound to withdraw the free inner end of thematerial by hand through the radial opening, after the package isremoved from the mandrel. This operation requires considerablemanipulation and may result in disturbance of the wind.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is designed to furnishseveral ways in which the withdrawal of the free inner end of thematerial in such a package can be accomplished before the,package isremoved from the mandrel, and without undue effort or manipulation beingrequired.

This may be accomplished in several ways. In one type of solution, alength of the free inner end of the material is held during winding in areadily available position just beneath the surface of the mandrel at apoint opposite the radial hole. Such an end can be engaged by a hook orother suitable tool when the package is finished and pulled out throughthe radial hole before the removal of the package from themandrel.

Another arrangement for accomplishing this purpose includes a membermounted in the mandrel for radial outward movement with means forgradually advancing this member as the package is wound, the innerfreeend of the inaterial being secured to the member and thereby beingpositioned at the outer entrance to the opening when the package isfinished,

' where it can be held while the member is withdrawn into the mandreland the package removed from the mandrel.

According to another modification, a member to which the inner free endof the material is attached is mounted in a hole in the mandrel and isexpelled through the radial opening, for example by air under pressure,when the package is completed, the inner free end of the material beingattached to this member. 1

In all forms of the invention, there is some means below the surface ofthe mandrel for holding a length of the free inner end of the materialduring winding, these means being opposite the point at which the holeis formed in the package.

The invention further contemplates the possible use of one of thesedevices for the purpose of aiding in the formation of the radial hole,possibly without varying the speed ratio between the spindle and theguide. 1

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG; 7 shows-in cross section a mandrel having a member which is movedoutwardly during formation of the package;

FIG. 8 shows a machine embodyingthe mandrel ofFlG. 7;

FIG. 9 is across section through the outwardly movable member;

FIG. 10 shows in cross section another form of mandrel;

FIG. 11 shows diagrammatically; machine embodying a 7 device of the typeshown in FIG. 10. v

Referring to the modifications of FIGS. 1 to 3, there is shown a mandrel2 on which is to be wound a package of the .universal type formed ofFIG. 8 coils such as 4.with a radial opening thereinto. At substantiallythe center of the length of themandrel there is provided an elongatedrecess 6 in which there are a pin 8 and a spring clip 10. The flexiblematerial 12 is carried several times around the post 8 and its free endis then positioned beneath the spring clip 10.

This recess 6 is positioned at the point ofthe mandrel'opposite whichthe radial hole is formed. After the hole. has been formed, a hook orother gripping member can be inserted through the hole to grip thematerial. 12 between the post 8 and the spring clip 10 and the materialcan be pulled out of the grip of spring clip 10, while at the same timeit will unwind from the post 8. The package can then be removed from themandrel, after, if it is desired, a wrapping or other cover is appliedto hold it for shipping purposes. No manipulation in the interior of thecore of the package is necessary.

In the form of FIGS. 4m 6, the mandrel 12 is provided with a peripheralgroove 14, at the point of which opposite which the hole will be formedis a pin 16in a recess 18. If one end of the .material 20 is fastenedloosely around the pin and thenled around the package within the groove14, when the package is finished a gripping instrument can be'insertedand pull the inner endof the thread out, drawing the end portion whichruns around through the groove 14 away from the pin 16 and package isformed. The mandrel 20 is mounted on a shaft 22 carried in bearings 24.A shaft 26 extends inwardly within the shaft 22, which is hollow, to apoint substantially at the longitudinal center line of the mandrel. Atthis point it carries a bevel gear 28 which meshes with a bevel gear 30carried by a stem 32 tumable in a bearing 34 mounted in the body of themandrel. The gear 32 has internally threaded engagement with a stem 36,which is splinedin a member 38 but is slidable therein. The rod 36carries at its other end a sleeve 40 which is movable in and out of therecess 42 within the mandrel 20, and has a rounded end 44..lt also hason theoutside two annular ribs 46. 4 i The shaft 22 is driven by a motor48 which also througha differential mechanism 50 drives shaft 26. Theratio is such that the movement of shaft 26 is slightly different fromthat of shaft 22 and mandrel 20 so that, as winding progressesas'indicated by the broken lines 52 in FIG. 7, the sleeve 42 willgradually be pushed out into the hole as his formed, always remainingbeneath the surface of the hole.

Before winding begins, the flexible material is wound around the sleeve42 between the ribs 46,, and then passed up inside the sleeve 40 andsecured to the removable end 44. Theotherwise fast enough to draw themember 42 quickly into the hole. The completed package can then bewithdrawn from the mandrel. I

If the front end 44 of the tube, to which the inner free end of thematerial is attached, is advanced slightly beyond the periphery of thepackage as it is being wound, it will assist in hole formation and insome instances may itself be sufficient to form a hole without requiringthe variations in speed between the spindle and the guide which aredescribed in the Taylor patents referred to above. f

ln a modification of FIGS. 10 an a a mandrel 52 is mounted on a shaft orspindle 54 to whic it is keyed by a key 56. The shaft 54 has a pass 58extending into one end and connected by a valve 60 through a suitablejoint 62 with a source 64 of compressed air. The package 58 communicateswith aligned holes 66 and 68 in the shaft and in the mandrel. in whichis seated a member 70 which fits reasonably tightly in the hole 68. Thefree end of this member extends into a recess" 72 in the surface of themandrel S8. The free end ;of'the material to be wound is wound looselyaround this'member 68, being attached theretoat one point; After thepackage is built up as indicated at 74, vthe valve is opened to admitcompressed air which drives the member 70 out through the radial opening76 in the package so that the free end of the material can be gripped.

We claim: 7

1. A spindle for winding a package of flexible material in a number offigure-8 bights having a radial hole therethrough opening into thecentral opening formed by the spindle comprising a body having asubstantially cylindrical surface and a recess in the surface at thepoint where the hole is formed, and having means in the recess to holdthe inner end of a length of the flexible material.

2. A spindle as claimed in claim I. in which the cylindrical 4I Aspindle as claimed in claim 3, in which said forcing means includesmeans controlled in synchronism with the rotation of the spindle forfeeding the member out gradually as a package is built up on thespindle.

5. A spindle as claimed in claim 3, in which the forcing means includesmeans to introduce a fluid under pressure into the radial opening behindsaid member. 7

6. ln a machine for winding a package of flexible material having aplurality of layers each formed of a plurality of figure- 8 bights withthe crossovers progressing around the package and with a radial openingtherein through which the free inner end of the material can be drawnout, said machine including a spindle on which the material is wound andmeans to rotate the spindle, said spindle having a radial openingtherein, a member slidably mounted in said opening, and means controlledin synchronism with the rotation of the spindle to move said memberoutwardly away from the spindle axis as a package is built up on thespindle to maintain a radial opening therein.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Dated May 11, 1971Patent No. 3 578, 255

Inventor(s) William E. Gordon and James W. Newman "May 4, 1971" shouldread "May 11, 1971".

(SEAL) Attest:

Attesting Officer It is certified that error appears in theaboveidentified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby correctedas shown below:

In the Heading of the first page, the "Patented" date Signed and sealedthis H th day of September 1971 Acting Commissioner of Patents ORMPO-IOSO (10-69) W U a GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

1. A spindle for winding a package of flexible material in a number offigure-8 bights having a radial hole therethrough opening into thecentral opening formed by the spindle comprising a body having asubstantially cylindrical surface and a recess in the surface at thepoint where the hole is formed, and having means in the recess to holdthe inner end of a length of the flexible material.
 2. A spindle asclaimed in claim 1, in which the cylindrical surface has a grooverunning therearound, said recess communicating with the groove.
 3. Aspindle as claimed in claim 1, in which the recess is a radial openingand the holding means includes a member mounted in the radial opening,and means are provided for forcing said member out through the radialhole formed in the package.
 4. A spindle as claimed in claim 3, in whichsaid forcing means includes means controlled in synchronism with therotation of the spindle for feeding the member out gradually as apackage is built up on the spindle.
 5. A spindle as claimed in claim 3,in which the forcing means includes means to introduce a fluid underpressure into the radial opening behind said member.
 6. In a machine forwinding a package of flexible material having a plurality of layers eachformed of a plurality of figure-8 bights with the crossovers progressingaround the package and with a radial opening therein through which thefree inner end of the material can be drawn out, said machine includinga spindle on which the material is wound and means to rotate thespindle, said spindle having a radial opening therein, a member slidablymounted in said opening, and means controlled in synchronism with therotation of the spindle to move said member outwardly away from thespindle axis as a package is built up on the spindle to maintain aradial opening therein.